Electronic content is obtained from a variety of computer networks including the Internet, intranets, and other computer networks. The Internet is a world-wide network of interconnected computers. The World-Wide-Web is an information system on the Internet designed for electronic content interchange. Electronic content on the World-Wide-Web is typically stored in files that include text, hypertext, references to graphics, animation, audio, video and other electronic data.
Network transfer latencies and electronic content types influence user perception of the quality of information provided by a computer network. Since response to the delivery of electronic content from computer networks like the Internet or an intranet is variable, user perception of the quality of information also varies. In one study, user perception of the quality of electronic content including text and graphics decreased as network response time increased. However, if the same electronic content is provided including only text and no graphics, user perception of the quality of the electronic content increased with respect to network response time. For more information see "The Effects of Internet Latency on User Perception of Information Content", by M. S. Borella, A. Sears and J. A. Jacko, IEEE Global Internet '97, pp. 1932-1936, November, 1997.
It appears than when network latencies are large, users typically blame graphical information in the electronic content for delays in obtaining desired information. If requested electronic content has only text, users typically acknowledge that the content provider has done all that could be done to provide the electronic content in a timely manner. However, when network latencies are small, users typically expect the electronic content with text and graphics to contain a greater quality of information.
User perception of electronic content is important to many organizations, especially to those that use computer networks to provide information. For example, user perception of information may be important to a university to attract students, to a business to attract customers, to a charity to attract donations, etc. In many situations, the first and only impression that a potential client or customer receives is based on electronic content retrieved from an organization's computer network or site on the Internet.
The are several problems associated with providing electronic content to a wide range of users from a computer network. A user may connect to a computer network with a relatively slow dial-up connection via a modem (e.g., 56,000 bits-per-second), or over a higher-speed network connection (e.g., a 1.5 Mega-bit-per-second) in a university or corporation. The type of electronic content provided may be adjusted based on a connection speed. However, it is difficult to adjust the type of electronic content based on network latency. Network latency conditions change dynamically, and even a fast connection may have a large network latency at a given time. In addition, a provider of electronic content cannot predict with reasonable certainty what a network latency will be at a given time.
Providing static electronic content for all users with varying network latencies may lead to user dissatisfaction and poor user perception of the electronic content. Thus, it is desirable to provide electronic content from computer network in a manner to ensure improved user perception regardless of network latency.